Self-righting traffic post



Patented Nov. 14, 1922-.,

G. A. WOOD. SELF RIGHTING TRAFFIC POST.

APPLICATION msn ma. 4. 1922.

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UNITED STATES GEORGE A. WOOD, OF ELMIRA, NEW YORK.

SELF-FIGHTING TRAFFIC POST.

Application led March 4, 1922. Serial 110,541,063.

To aZZ whom t may concern.'

Be it known that I, GEORGE A. WOOD, a.'

l citizen of the United States of America, re-

siding at Elmira, in the county of Chemung and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Self- Righting Traffic Posts, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in self-righting traffic posts, and has particular reference to that I type of post known in the art as silent cops and is primarily designed to indicate to drivers of automobiles and other vehicles, the proper course to pursue at street crossings and on roadways.

The primary object of the invention resides in the provision of a traflic post that is resiliently supported above the ground line upon a countersunk base and capable of being tilted or knocked down without damaging the same and subsequently restored to its perpendicular position after impact.

A further object of the invention is to provide a traflic post of the type above set forth wherein a movable head associated with the post is provided with the illuminating means and signal flags with the head movable into the post when the latter is tilted or knocked down to protect the head and illuminating means from damage.

The device contains other novel features of construction considered an improvement over-the patent granted to me on January 3rd, 1922` No. 1,402,465.

lith the above general objects in view the invention consists of the novel combination and arrangement of parts hereinafter more fully described in connection with accompanying drawing, and in which like reference characters designate corresponding parts through the several views.

In the drawings, Y

Figure 1 is a vertical sectional View of a traffic post constructed in accordance with the present invention, showing the resilient mounting of the post, the counter sunk base for supporting the same and the movable head disposed at the upper end of the post carrying the illuminating means and signal flags, f Y

Figure 2 is across sectional view taken on line II-II of Figure 1 showing the chain and spring disposed within the tubular post,

Figure 3 is a cross sec-tional view taken on line III-III of'Figure l, showing the manner of anchoring the lower end of-the tubular post to the bearinglblock therefor, and

Figure 4 is -a cross sectional view taken on line IV-IV of Figure 1 showing the cross rods carried by the countersunk supporting member with the chain of the compression spring anchored thereto.

The invention broadly refers to a trafic post for indicating the proper direction of travel of Aautomobiles and other vehicles at intersecting streets and on other roadways, the post being resiliently mounted upon a countersunk supporting base and tiltable at ground line in a manner to permit the same to be tilted or knocked down without damaging the same, the resilient mounting of the post restoring the same to a perpendicular position after such impact. The post and mounting therefor includes a tubular countersunk base member having the upper end thereof disposed substantially at the ground line with the tubular post carrying a substantially hemispherical block upon the lower end thereof freely resting upon the countersunk base support. A signal head is slidably mounted in the upper end of the tubular post while'a coil spring positionedv within the post between the signal head and the hemi'spherical block with a chain extending between the head and anchoring means carried bythe countersunk base for tensioning the post to cause the -s-ame to assume a perpendicular. position. A signal lamp and flag are carried by the signal head and are movable into the post when the latter is tilted to protect the same when the post is engaged by a vehicle;

Referring more in detail to the accompanying. drawings there is illustrated a tralic post and mounting, the mounting including a cylindrical housing' 1 countersunk in the ground as at 2 with the upper end of the housing lying substantially Hush with the ground line 3, the outer face of the upper edge of the housing being beveled to provide -a well defined edge 4 for purposes presently to appear.

The traiiic post 5 is of tubular formation, being open at each end, and receives in the A lower open end thereof the cylindrical prochannel 9 extending into the side wall of the hemispherical block 7 for receiving the upper v edge 4: ofthe supporting housing 1 when the post istilted as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1. The manner of securing the tubular post 5 to the hemisphcrical block mounting 7 is shown more clearly in Figures 1 and 3, screws 10 passing through the sidewalls of the tubular post engaging the block projections 6 for rigidly connecting the post to the block. As-shown in 'saidfigures the hemispherical block 7 and the proje-ction 6 are provided with a continuous central bore 11, for purposes presently to appear.

A signal block is slidably disposed in the upper end of the tubular post 5, the same including a cylindrical base portion 12 freely disposed within said post and a projecting head portion 13. rlhe mechanism for anchor` ing the indicatorhead to the post, and further for anchoring the post 5 to the mounting tubular housing 1 rincludes a hook 14: having a threaded end 15 adjustably mounted in the lower end of the cylindrical base 12 of the signal head, the threaded end 15-of the hook carrying` an adjustable disk 16 spaced from' said signal head with audible signals 17 such as bells depending from the disk 16. A link chain 18 is connected at its upper end to the hook 14 while the lower end thereof extending downwardly through the tubular post 5, the bore 11 of the hemispherical block 7 and into the tubular housing 1,

being anchored at its lower end to the cross bolt 19 extending transversely of the countersunk base support as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 4. A coil spring 20 disposed within the tubular post 5 engages the upper end ofthe hemispherical block extension 6' and the disk 16 adjustably supported by the hook 14, the tension of the spring 20 normally forcing the signal head at its limit of upward' movement with respect to the tubular post and further maintaining thc post in a perpendicular position as shown by full lines in Figure 1. t

rlhe head 13 of the block signal is provided with a central socket 21 -containing a lamp 22 Visible/through to Windows 23, while signal flags 24 are secured by the screw 25 to the upper end of the head 13. y From the above detailed description of the device it is believed that the construction and operation thereof will at once be apparent, it being noted that the spring' 20 normally forces the signal block at its limitu of upward movement and also maintains the y tubular pst 5 in a normally perpendicular position with the flange 8 of the hemispherical block 7 resting upon the upper edge 4 of the tubular mounting base member 1. the` by the head 13 will clearly attract vattention tothe post during both day and night and eHectively assist in the proper direction of vehicular traffic, the flags 24 being waved by the wind and clearly indicating the location of the post. Should the post 5 be struck by an automobile or other vehicle, the same will be tilted, sounding the bells 17 and attracting attention so that an officer of the law or other pedestrian may ascertain the number upon the license tag of the vehicle. When' the post 5 is tilted, the upper edge 4 of the tubular mounting base member 1 will be received in the annular groove or channel 9 provided in the outer wall of the hemispherical block portion 7 of the tubular mounting, centering the post upon the upper edge of' the base mounting member .and providing a true bearing therefor. movement of the post, the signal block 12 will be drawn thereinto, as shown by dotted lines in Figure 1 against the tension of the spring 20, substantially housing the signal block and protecting the lamp 22 supported therein, the block 12 being drawn into the tubular post by the chain connection 18 between the block and the cross bolt 19 of the base mounting member. When the impact is relieved, the spring 20 and chain connection 18 betweenthe signal block and the cross bolt 19 will restore the post to its normal perpendicular position, permitting Vthe projection of the head 13 of the signal block with the flange 8 of the base mounting member 7 properly resting upon the upper edge 4 of the tubular mounting base member 1.

'While there is herein shown and described the preferred embodiment of my invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in construction, combination and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as lar post supported upon the upper end of the base mounting member, and including a hemispherical block secured in the lower end thereof and having a lateral flange resting upon the upper end of the base mounting member, a coil spring disposed in the tubular post, a signal block slidably mounted in the upper end of the post and a chain connection between the signal block and the base mounting member.

2. A traiic indicator ofthe type described comprising a tubular base mounting member countersunk Within the ground, a tubular post supported at the upper end of the mounting member and including a substantially hemispherical block depending from `the lower end thereof and resting upon the During such tiltmg upper end of the mounting member, a signal block slidably mounted in the upper end of the i st, a coil spring interposed between the islgnal block and the hemispherical block, a chain connection between the signal block and the base mounting member.

3. A traffic indicator of the type described comprising a tubular base mounting member countersunk within the ground, a tubular post supported at the upper end of the mounting member and including a substantially hemisphericalblock depending from the lower end thereof and resting upon the upper end of the mounting member, a signal block slidably mounted at the upper end of the post, a coil spring interposed between the signal block and the hemispherical block, a chain connection between the signal block and the base mounting member, a signal lamp carried by the signal'block, and signal flags carried by the upper end of the signal block. p

5. A traiiic indicator of the type described comprising a tubular basemounting member countersunk within the ground, a tubular post supported at the upper end of the mounting member and including a substantiall hemispherical block depending from the lbwer end thereof and resting upon the upper end of the mounting member, a signal block slidably. mounted in the upper endof the post, a coil springinterposed between the signal block and the hemispherical block, a chain connection between the signal block, the base mounting member, a signal lamp carried by the signal block and signal a s carried by the upper end of the signal bloc a disk supported on said chain and signal bells carried by said disk.

6. A' traino indicator of. the type described I comprising a tubular base mounting mem- 'ber, a tub-ular post supported thereon and including a substantially hemispherical block resting upon the upper end of the tubular mounting member, said block having an axial bore therein a signal block slidably disposed at the upper end of the tubular post, a coil spring interposed be. tween the signal block and the hemispherical mounting member, a chain connected at its upper end to the signal block and extending through the bore in the hemispherical block at the lower end'of the post, and means for anchoring the lower end of the chain to the, tubular mounting member.

7. A traflic indicator of the type described comprising a tubular base mounting member, a tubular post supported thereon and including a substantially hemispherical block resting upon the upper end ofthe tubular mounting member, said block having an axial bore therein, a signal block slidably disposed at the upper end of the tubular post,- a coil spring interposed between the signal block and the hemispherical mounting member a chain connected at its, upper end to the slgnal block and extending through the bore in the hemispherical block at the lower end of the post, and a transverse bolt carried by the tubularmounting member to which the lower end of the chain is anchored.

' 8. A trafiic indicator of the type described,

comprising a tubular post, a mounting block carrledby the lower end thereof, a tubular mounting for said block, a signal block slidably disposed in the upper end of the tubular post, a coil spring in the tubular post engaging the mounting block at its lower end, a sorewhook adjustably connected to the signal block, a'djsk carried by said screw, and engaged by the upper end of the spring, and a chain connected at oneAend to said hook and anchored at its other endto the tubular support.

GEORGE A. WOOD. 

